Author's Notes:

Disclaimer - Mature Themes, Language, and Depictions of Violence.

Enjoy!

His Concubine: The Kingmaker

Orihime

"I want you, Orihime."

Hearing those words sent a rush of air out of my lungs. I couldn't fathom him ever saying that to me.

I try to push Ichigo away from me only for his hand to wrap around my throat, applying a little pressure to pull me back against his chest. Pivoting, he pressed me against the wall next to the shoji he was looking out of and near a shelf holding an ikebana designed with kinmokusei (orange osmanthus). Before I could think and register what was happening, his lips were on mine again. My heart started racing with panic feeling his fingers on my neck but the feeling of him kept me still, wallowing in his touch. I brought my hands up, fisting the soft fabric of his kosode as his tongue slips into my mouth. He moves closer to me pressing me tightly against the wall and trapping my soft curves into his hard body.

When I finally give in to what is happening, he pulls away, resting his forehead against mine.

"Don't betray me," he breathed against my lips.

"I will eventually betray you."

"If you do, you will lose sight of yourself at the same time. Exposing yourself to not only my father but to everyone who agreed to purge the Inoue clan."

"Yes… I know. There will come a time when you must make the right decision."

"Please don't put me in a position to have to choose between you and my family." I felt his plea piercing my soul.

"I'm not." His eyes burned with a fire that ignited something dormant within me.

Is this what it feels like to be wanted?

"You're mine." Ichigo kissed me before I could say anything, claiming me with his tongue. "Because no matter what anyone else says, I'm yours." He pressed kisses along my jaw, down my neck, pushing the collar of the kosode further down, and kissed the tops of my breasts.

I shivered, "Your Highness…"

"Tell me you're mine…" he whispered, undoing the obi and pulling it off letting it hit the floor. I didn't say anything but let him undress me. I had no way of answering him. Everything about this felt wrong, but my body wasn't listening. All logic went out the window and it was heading south to what lies between my legs. The slick moisture and pulsating feeling.

He had dragged my naked body down to the floor and made me lay on my open kosode. Ichigo's hand roamed my body causing goosebumps to appear everywhere from their heat. He leaned forward repeating his demand. "Tell me…"

I kissed him. Intensely and feverishly. Damn, whatever regrets I will have when the sun comes up. I wanted this… I wanted him.

Ichigo grabs the back of my neck, holding me in place. His tongue plays with mine while I wrap my legs around his waist pulling him down. The hardening muscle between his legs connected with my center making both of us groan and moan at the heated connection. It was like something had taken over both of us.

"Lift your hips again," he whispered. We angled our hips to have that connection once more and pressed harder. I felt the friction of his kosode over my aching folds making them throb for an insertion to grip onto. The only barrier keeping us apart was just the flap of his kosode. I moaned into his mouth feeling the pressure increase.

He broke the kiss to rest his forehead against mine and watch me. I didn't stop moving my hips desperately to keep the tension going. After a few more brushes of my hips, he moved his hand down to stop them from moving. I groaned in frustration, but I sighed at his erection jumping, and tapping against my clit.

Taking a slow breath, he fell back on his knees leaving me sprawled on the floor wanting and needing to be touched again. His eyes drifted down to my parted thighs. Feeling him stare too long, I quickly closed them and glanced away embarrassed.

He reached out and smoothed his hands along the outside of my thighs. "Open your legs," he said in a husky voice laced with desire.

Listening, I slowly slid them apart causing Ichigo to inhale sharply. He leaned forward, aligning his face between my legs. I was ready to erupt at the feel of his breath near my core. "Tell me your mine," he whispered with his mouth hovering over my quivering center.

Shakily, I leaned upward on my elbows and touched his hand that rested on my thigh. "Show me why I should be?"

Ichigo smirked. Slipping his hands under me, he broke our touch, and he pulled me towards his face. He flattens his tongue against my folds, gently dragging it along my wetness.

"Hnh…" I breathed out as I clamped my teeth onto my bottom lip. My body twitched in satisfaction while dropping my head back.

He does it again, this time going lower, lapping at a part of me no one has ever touched. Gripping my thighs, he pushes them further apart, shoving his whole face into my core. I grab the hair on top of his head, holding him in place as if I can push him deeper as he dips his tongue into my wetness.

He drew circles with his tongue around and over my bud. My toes curl, and reluctant cries of pleasure spill from my lips. Ichigo groans as a gush of wetness pours out of me. He slips one finger inside before adding a second to loosen me up. The tightening feeling eases when he sucks my clit allowing him to add a third.

With a brush of his tongue and the vigor of his fingers, I break down for him. Arching my back, I try to grab for something, or anything at this point to hold onto to stay grounded on earth. My fingers find the cushion he was sitting on earlier and I grip it, crying out with pleasure. Ichigo sits up, making a sucking sound as he keeps his finger buried in me and rubs his thumb back and forth over my clit. It was like I couldn't control myself anymore. A consuming symphony of moans escapes my lips along with my release. It doesn't stop when he dips back down lapping at the mess I was making. My body melts while it hums with pleasure when he finally pulls his fingers out of me at the same time coming up breathing hard.

Ichigo brings his hand up to lick at the essence off his fingers. My bottom lip is pulled into my teeth as I watch him lick and suck his fingers clean. The humming of my body surges demanding more than what he has given me.

He removed the kosode off his body, displaying he had nothing underneath, and crawled on top of me. My thighs adjusted to his lean, muscular hips as if he belonged there all along. My eyes scanned over the scars littering his chest and down his arms. The marks were healed but scabbed as if he left them to heal on their own without medicine. I couldn't help but trace one that appeared recent. He flinched at my light touch.

Our eyes met, and in that moment, a flurry of unspoken apologies and forgiveness were exchanged. "Are you mine?" I felt him align the tip of his erection with my sopping opening.

I opened my mouth to accept him, but my mind suddenly wrenched back to Lord Aizen.

The way his piercing brown eyes glowered at me through the mirror of my chambers.

Lord Aizen silently stood a few feet behind me.

This had become a habit of his whenever we were alone. Whether we had tea together, shared a meal, or studied something related to becoming an Imperial Princess under his teachings. He would stare at me, studying how I spoke, ate, swallowed, and breathed.

That day he was there to tell me he was leaving for a few days according to Loly, but he has yet to say it. Instead, he stood behind me in front of a mirror with our eyes locked. Stepping forward, his fingers moved up my arm causing goosebumps to form under my pale green kosode with sumires (Violets) designed into them. His hand trailed up to capture my chin. Leaning in, he pressed his temple against mine. Ear to ear, he gazed at my reflection saying nothing.

After what felt like hours of his constant gazing, he spoke.

"What you are is something worth waiting for."

I blinked slowly before answering. "What do you mean?"

His hand let go of my chin and slid down to my chest. He opened his palm and pressed it flat over my heart, which picked up when I saw his eyes change to something… sinister.

"The Crown Prince has gotten everything handed to him. Jewels, money, women, you name it, he got it. But that will no longer happen. You will be the one thing he cannot have." Aizen dropped his hand down to cover my obi. "He will seek to deflower you before you are titled his concubine, but you will stop him."

"I wasn't going- "

"Sshh," he hushed me. "When the time is right…he will get you alone, seduce you to a puddle of consciousness, and try to have his way by stating you belong to him. Stop him and offer yourself to him when you receive the title of Imperial Princess. As a reward, you can then spread your legs for him on your wedding night and bear an heir." Aizen's eyes glimmered with glee. "Until then, keep him waiting." He let me go and leaned back.

I watched him step back keeping his eyes trained on me. "How?" I whispered. "You said he gets what he wants."

"No. I said he gets whatever is handed to him." Aizen smiled. "You will instill patience within him."

Ichigo's other hand touched my cheek as his thumb lightly stroked the skin under my eye.

Licking the flavor of bitterness of sake and of him from my lips, I gazed up into his eyes.

"Make me your Imperial Princess… and then I will be all yours."

~s~

Ichigo

I stared at her as those words left her lips.

She can't be serious.

My throbbing erection ready to penetrate her said otherwise. While I was contemplating what Orihime just said, she slipped out from under me and was by the fusuma fixing to put back on her kosode.

"Where are you going?" I rushed out stunned by her actions.

"I'm going back to where I belong. My chambers. Until you've made your decision out of the three women you've chosen as your concubine to be the Imperial Princess… my legs will remain closed." Her gaze was icy, freezing me in place to not approach her.

She turned to leave after trying to make herself as presentable as possible. I was determined to stop her from leaving. "Wait!" I called out getting up to try to put my kosode back on and hissing at my knuckle brushing against the erection which had yet to go away. "That will be difficult to accomplish. The Emperor has the final say."

Orihime glanced back at me with a wry smirk. "I suggest you start convincing him then. I will do my part here to stay complacent with his demands. The Empress will not be harmed either because I will control Lord Aizen. While I do that… you will get the water element from the East." She turned around fully raising her hand. Her pinky finger was up and curved slightly. "You promised. Remember?"

I was confused by her sudden personality switch. When she came here, she was fierce and demanding. Next, she was scared, and finally, she was exotic. However now… Orihime was calculating. Something I did not see coming.

"Goodbye, your Highness," she bowed before sliding the fusuma open and slipping out.

What the actual fuck?

Renji and Mizuiro both stared at me confused.

Laying in the middle of the courtyard will do that.

After days of nonstop rain and gloomy skies, being outside was more refreshing than staying cooped up and strategizing with the shogun. The old man lectured, pointed out my wrongdoings, bragged about his days as a daimyo, and other history lessons that would come to his senile old mind. When his right-hand man came to discuss some plans, I took that as my cue to sneak out. Given the opportunity, I escaped to lounge outdoors taking in the sunlight.

"You know, he's looking for you," Renji said joining me on the grass.

"Don't care," I mumbled keeping my eyes closed.

"You need to care," Mizuiro groaned not bothering to sit. "The shogun will tell your father, then the Emperor will reprimand me for not dragging you back inside. Are you trying to get me beheaded?"

"You'll be fine."

"How do you know?" he argued back.

I shrugged. "I just do." Mizuiro huffed as he turned to leave. Opening one eye, I watched him walk to the annex where the library was accessible to scholars of the castle. "What's his problem?"

"If you haven't noticed you orange-head moron, when you fuck up, he gets the blame."

Opening both of my eyes, I glanced over to Renji who was looking straight ahead. I sighed heavily as I sat up, placing my palms flat down on the grass. "I just wanted a break. I can't hear the old man talk about another battle."

"Deal with it. He doesn't have any kids of his own… you happen to be the closest thing to a grandchild."

Dropping my head back, I stared up at the sky watching cumulus clouds pass over. "Sure, whatever."

"I've been meaning to ask you," Renji said faintly. "What was it that the Emperor wanted to tell you as soon as we got back? It seemed serious. You took off after that and I haven't seen you until now. That was two days ago."

Tilting my head back forward, I turned to him. He was looking at me waiting for an answer.

Two days ago, I had Orihime in the palm of my hand. Her body was beautiful enough to devour. The pale firmness of her breast, the slopes leading down to her flat stomach, the freckles under her naval, and the short auburn hairs over her wet core begging to be penetrated. Then there was the luscious feel of her thighs parted enough for me to fit between, the archness of her feet and toes curling from feeling me. Everything about her screams insanely beautiful. Just thinking about how close I was to claiming her was getting me stiff.

We were ready to take the next step I never thought I would take. But she shot me down. Right when I was ready to take the plunge into oblivion, she snuck her way out from under me and denied me pleasure. My mind was a broken record, repeating the haunting memory of her leaving. Shamelessly, I yet again had to bring myself to a release, alone.

It didn't help. Kissing her did little to suppress the madness inside of me this time. I was a fiend for her now. It's like my madness had a new target but not in the desire for blood. It was only for her. I just want to taste her again.

Why was I acting like this?

Simple. The proposition she gave me had given my life a purpose. I was growing addicted to the thought of possibly having her at the price of something dangerous.

The day after that, I tried to figure out how to implement her as my Imperial Princess while focusing on how to travel to the East. The small inkling of her request filtered through my mind repeatedly. Where did she get the idea from? Was this Lord Aizen's plan all along? How does this benefit him? Is this how he will use her to get through me?

Embarrassing as it was, how do I tell Renji that? How do I tell anyone that? How I was locked in my chambers planning how to give Orihime what she wanted so I can have the pleasure of fucking her. Working nonstop to build her reputation to be my wife. I can see him saying, I was thinking with my dick rather than my head. I knew that and I didn't need him to tell me either.

"Nothing," I said after a moment of silence. I stood up and dusted off my hands. "We need to go to the East in two days."

"The East?" Renji questioned also getting up. "Is that what the Emperor wanted you to do? What about the shogun and the plan to find the Army of the Dead?"

"We're going to do that too; I just need to retrieve something from the East before we set off with the shogun."

He looked at me suspiciously. I could tell he had more to say and questions to ask, but he opted to remain silent. I rather it that way. "Tell Keigo and the rest of the squad. This is important and takes priority at the moment."

"Understood." Renji bowed before turning around to head for the squad's barracks. I faced the green pastures watching the soft breeze push and swing the branches on the trees, and the flowers imbedded into the land. No matter how I try to understand Orihime and her request to be an Imperial Princess, I feel suspicious.

This was the same woman who begged, pleaded, cried, and raised a sword to her neck hoping to die because she wanted to return home. Now, she wants to sit next to me on the throne.

This has Lord Sōsuke Aizen written all over it, and I'll be damned if I let him use me.

Kirio came barreling down the corridor with a basket of what seemed like herbs. She bowed before turning down the corner towards my mother's quarters. Another young lady was several feet behind with a basin of hot water. She couldn't run because of the boiling water but she was easier to stop.

"Hey," I called out.

Her eyes widened with panic looking at me and back at the corner, Kirio had disappeared around. Not bothering to keep going, she slowed to a stop and bowed. "Your Highness. How can I help you?"

"What's going on? Is someone sick?"

"I… I can't say, your Highness," she stammered.

"Can't say or won't say?"

Her green eyes slowly drifted to the left. "Under strict orders of his Majesty… the situation shall not be discussed with anyone outside of those four walls."

My heart dropped. Those words were said to me once before. Turning, I started walking, then jogging, and then finally sprinting down the corridors to my mother's quarters.

No!

Not again!

There were a dozen of my mother's ladies-in-waiting standing outside of her chambers. One of the senior ladies-in-waiting spotted me, and quickly made her way to me before I could reach the fusumas.

"Your Highness, you are not allowed to enter."

"Move out of my way," I growled.

"Your Highness, you cannot enter." I glanced down at her small fragile frame. I was taller than Oka but the authority in her tone made me feel small. The servant girl holding the boiling water finally caught up. Oka nodded for her to go in.

Trying to peek inside, I only saw the servant girl place the basin down before walking right back out. She bowed to me before joining the others behind me. "What is wrong with my mother?" I asked, giving up on trying to push my way inside.

"Under strict orders of his Majesty, the situation shall not be discussed with anyone outside of these four walls," Oka replied with a stern tone.

It was like a thousand knives were cutting me all at once throughout my body. Hearing the same words repeatedly meant my mother was either really sick or dying. But I couldn't fathom how this came about. She was fine two days ago. She cried but she was fine when I left her.

Running a hand down my face, I glanced up at the fusumas. Kirio slid one open to step out. Her green eyes widened when they landed on me.

"Your Highness…" she turned to make sure the fusuma was fully closed before focusing on me. "…why are you here?"

"What is happening?" I stepped toward her hoping for some answers.

"I can't tell you…"

"Please," I pleaded.

"No." Her refusal broke me. Throwing away the history of her helping to raise me, I pushed her out of my way and slammed the fusuma open. "Your Highness!" Ignoring her, I stepped in.

The kichō (curtain) around her futon blocked my view. My father was outside of it kneeling and holding her hand. His brown eyes glanced over at me but drifted back to her.

My mother was moaning in pain as I watched the physician apply a drenched cloth filled with herbs to her forehead.

"Dad… what's wrong with mom?" Hearing the innocence in my voice did little to deter me from falling to my knees. "Why is she like this? She was fine just the other day." Kirio who had followed me in, placed a hand on my shoulder.

"I don't know. But I can guarantee I will handle it when Masaki becomes stable." Isshin softly placed her hand down. My mother tried to lift it to reach out for him again, but she whimpered in pain. "She will not be your wife."

I looked away from my mother's twitching hand to my father. He stood up to his feet. "What?" I was confused about what he just said.

"That woman did an act of treason by poisoning the Empress of this nation… my wife, and your mother."

"Hold on. What are you talking about? Mom was poisoned? How?"

"By that intolerable woman," he said with such hatred. "I knew she was suspicious the moment I laid my eyes on her."

"Stop." I ran a hand down my face utterly confused. "You're not making any sense. You told me you didn't know what was wrong with Mom and now you're jumping to conclusions that Ori… Lady Orihime did it?"

"Don't play foolish with me Ichigo." A vein in Isshin's forehead throbbed. "That disrespectful monstrosity you brought into this castle targeted your mother because she wants to be your fucking Imperial Princess." My eyes widened. He walked up to me as I was still kneeling. Hovering over me, he glared. "What? You think I didn't know what you've been doing the past two days in your chambers? As your mother laid here sick, you were trying to figure out how to get that whore to be your wife."

I opened my mouth to protest but he cut me off. "Masaki was the closest person to her, and she poisoned her for the seat on that throne. I would have made the courts handle this discreetly, but since having Lord Aizen as her supporter… I would rather keep that relationship. He's useful when you look at it."

"No… this is- "

"Then there's Kisuke Urahara," he cut me off again. "He was my right hand. He was hailed as a hero and that daughter of his decided to tarnish his name. I will not allow it. So, I've decided… right now, that I'm going to kill her myself." My stomach dropped while Kirio gasped. "You let her into this place, so I will let the courts deal with you."

He brushed past me to leave, making me stumble onto my backside.

I gathered myself to get up. "Wait!" I called out but a strangled sound caught my attention. Looking back, I saw my mother sitting up and holding the kichō open. Her frail body was sweaty, and her eyes were filled with tears. I couldn't focus on what she was trying to say through them because I needed to stop the Emperor. "Dad!" I ran after him.

~s~

Orihime

"Try this one."

I took a bite of the imagawayaki (thick round pancake) filled with red bean paste. I hummed at the burst of flavor. "This is really good," I mumbled as I wiped the corner of my mouth before going for another bite of the pastry. I was surprised I had room for more food after the big breakfast we shared. Me, Rukia, and Nanao were asked to have breakfast in the courtyard since the rain had finally let up.

After we ate and conversed over tea, Nanao wanted to go to the library and Rukia invited me to the kitchen to help make pastries.

"Yeah," she eyed the fluffy baked good. "I think it should be sweeter. Try this one." She handed me another one from the third batch. There were four large plates of imagawayakis and more being baked. Taking a bite, I sighed.

"Mmm, this is sweet. I like this one too." I glanced over the others. Some were burnt and misshaped, while the others seemed normal but oozed a weird filling. All thanks to me. Looking at her, Rukia wiped her hands with a cloth before cleaning a spot on the wooden counter wiping away any mess she had made. "Why are you making these? Is this a tradition from your hometown?"

"Yes and no." She crumbled up the cloth and threw it in a bin full of soiled rags. Facing me with a grin, she spoke. "Ichigo and his squad are leaving for another journey. To the East… and these are Renji's favorite."

I raised my eyebrows. It looks like he's taking me seriously and is on his way to getting the element as required. I smirked but quickly wiped it away when Rukia's eyes narrowed at me.

"That's interesting. What for?" I said playing innocent while walking over to the barrel of water.

"I don't know, but hopefully these will hold them over until they come back," she smiled looking at the pastries. "So, how are things going with Ichigo? Do you two get along now?"

Taking up a scoop of water, I sipped it to wash away the sweetness from my mouth while also taking my time to formulate an answer for her. Swallowing, I placed the scoop back down.

"I never said we didn't."

Rukia chuckled. "Trust me, you didn't have to. The day the shogun came and during the night of the banquet… the hostility in the air… yeah, you definitely hate him. Surprising since I've always seen him being nice to the women he's around."

I rolled my eyes and scoffed at that. "Nice? That's rich. He's anything but nice." Raising my hand, I started counting off. "He's loud, angry, demanding, and overbearing when something doesn't go his way." I folded my arms looking her dead in the eyes. "His Highness is a spoiled toddler who knows how to swing a darn sword. Sometimes, I wish Chad was here to bring him down a notch."

She threw her head back and started laughing. "I never thought I would see the day Lady Orihime would snap like this." She tried to muffle her laughter behind her hand, but it wasn't working. Wiping a tear, she snorted before speaking again. "Who is Chad?"

A genuine smile spread across my face. "He's… a friend, a brother, my protector."

Rukia leaned in close. "Really?" I nodded. "Possible soulmate?"

I tilted my head to the side. "I don't have feelings for him if that's where you're going. He is someone I wholeheartedly trust back in my village."

"So, if you never came here to be Ichigo's concubine, would you have had feelings for Chad then?"

Sighing, I faced away from her. Her question did solidify one thing for me. Chad was the only guy close to my age who looked at me, listened, and cared for me. If given the chance to stay home, maybe I would have fallen in love with Chad. Grow up, get married, have children, and grow old together with my heart forever intact. Chad would be my haven.

Ichigo on the other hand, was a constant reminder of pain I've been enduring more than a person should in one's lifespan. It was only recently we had shared something… intimate. Something he pushed onto me, and I dived into it, heart first. He is someone I can't be running back and forth forever between grief and high bliss. But here I am, thinking about him and the possible what-ifs.

"I don't know. Maybe."

Rukia squealed causing me to cringe at the high pitch sound. "Tell me all about him."

I shook my head laughing to myself. I slowly explained my upbringing with Urahara, and Yoruichi, and how Chad fit into our crazy family. She genuinely listened as she moved around the kitchen. Asking questions here and there. I avoided going deeper than the surface. Ichigo's little warning contributed to that.

"Sounds challenging," she said setting the new batch of imagawayakis down. "To have Ichigo swoop in and take you away from the only family you've ever known… and he treats you like this." Tsking, she shook her head. "That explains your hatred."

"I don't hate him… now since we've come to an agreement. You can thank Her Majesty for that," I said reaching for one of the new hot pastries. "How someone so… obnoxious came out of her still bewilders me." Rukia slapped my hand away. I flinched at the pain and rubbed the small red spot while pouting.

"Speaking of the Empress, what happened the other day? After your talk, she wasn't seen much around the castle."

"Is the Empress sick?" I asked.

She shook her head. "I'm not sure since I haven't physically seen her. Last I heard, the Emperor was worried and couldn't understand her sudden decline in health. You were the last one to see her, how was she?"

"She was…" I trailed off. Was this why Ichigo was mad the other day? Telling Lord Aizen and Lord Jūshirō had put her in a panic, but to what extent? Can she be that angry with me for seeking help? "She was fine," I lied. "She showed me some suggestions on how I can improve on styling my ikebana."

She sighed, "I see. Just in case, the Emperor might question you for details."

My eyes widened. "What? Why?"

Rukia shrugged. "You were the last one to see her before her health declined. He probably wants to know if you saw anything unusual. If she was sick or anything suspicious."

"Does he think I harmed her? Poisoned her perhaps? Or something else? Because I didn't. She wasn't hurt by me. Does he think I tried something?" I tumbled out in a fast-paced stream, echoing the racing thoughts within my mind. Her violet eyes widened at my questions.

"Orihime… why would you say something like that?" She glanced at the closed fusumas leading to the corridors filled with servants cleaning and then back to me.

"I didn't. I swear. She asked me… about my… ikebana," I stammered.

"Calm down. I believe you." Rukia touched my shoulders. "It's only a question he will ask you. Tell the truth and you will be fine."

Her words did little to facilitate my panic. The Emperor already didn't like me, now I might be accused of causing the Empress to fall ill. Wasn't she already weakened due to the illness she once had? How was any of this my fault? Will Lord Aizen disown me before I have the chance to show my usefulness?

I pulled away from her to lean against the counter. The sensation of sweat began to build on my forehead and my heart raced from terror. This entire situation I was experiencing felt unreal.

"Orihime," Rukia whispered. "You have nothing to worry about. Kirio was outside the whole time. She can corroborate your story. Okay?"

I closed my eyes trying to breathe through my nose and out of my mouth. What she said was true, but Kirio wasn't in the shoin. How much can her whereabouts hold up with the Emperor?

Swallowing the bile rising from the back of my throat, I glanced at Rukia. "I need to see the Empress."

She gazed at me before looking away sadly. "I don't think that's possible. The Empress is being held in her chambers until she recovers. Honestly, no one is supposed to know but the Emperor and Kirio. I just happened to see Kirio slipping out with specific herbs for sickness from the garden."

"Herbs?"

That was my breaking point. The sweets she had given me came out in chunks. I vomited all over the kitchen, she somewhat cleaned and made a mess. I couldn't stop. Everything came out, emptying my stomach and the falling tears.

Truth or not… this was treason and Lord Aizen wasn't here to save me like he promised.

I sat in my chambers staring at the food Loly had provided from the kitchen. I could barely swallow the saliva in my mouth let alone food. My little mess in the kitchen made it off-limits for me and Rukia for the near future. Her pastries were safe from my projectile, so she wasn't upset but deeply disturbed by my reaction.

Anyone would be. The mere thought of being the sole reason for the Empress's sickness was considered treason in the eyes of the high courts. Since the Emperor already didn't like me, it was only a matter of time before he showed me his true colors.

The resounding heavy footsteps filled the corridor outside of my chambers.

This is it.

I placed the chopsticks down holding the uneaten fish and waited for whoever was about to arrive.

The Emperor entered my chambers practically ripping the fusuma off its hinges with eyes exploding with malice. Even though Lord Aizen said to be nice and stay inconspicuous around him, it would be a challenge. However, since the banquet, I kept my word and stayed hidden. Out of fear but mostly because I had to. Now with this possible accusation, he was before me ready to throw caution to the wind and get rid of me once and for all.

"Get up!" he roared when I sat on my tatami mat not greeting him. I kept my eyes forward ignoring his authoritative presence. It wasn't like I was disregarding him on purpose. My body was imprisoned with terror to the point I couldn't move a muscle.

This small action would seal my fate.

He was fast. Throwing the chabudia with my dinner on it to the side, Isshin was on top of me. His large hands wrapped themselves around my neck. His strong build crouched over me choking me. Flashes of what Ichigo did a month prior instilled a fighting response.

I clawed at his hands and kneed him in the stomach. However, he was unfazed by my relentless attacks. My vision blurred with tears and darkness began to take over as I blacked out. I was losing consciousness and the last bit of air in my lungs. This was entirely different from what Ichigo had done. This was pure rage, and I was going to die. The last thing I heard was the faded voices of Kirio screaming and Ichigo shouting.

To Be Continued…

Author's Notes:

Crazy! Thoughts?

Until Next Time!